TEHRAN- According to World Health Organization (WHO) 2018 report on world health statistics, Iran’s health coverage index is 65 (out of a maximum index score of 100) which is higher than the South Asia average estimated at 53.

TEHRAN – Tehran Mayor Pirouz Hanachi named top researcher at the 27th Research Festival which was held at the University of Tehran on Monday. During the ceremony, 47 researchers in different fields were honored, ISNA rported.

TEHRAN – The budget bill for the next fiscal year (starting March 21, 2019) has proposed policies regarding improvement of women’s condition in the country, Masoumeh Ebtekar, vice president for women’s and family affairs, has said.

TEHRAN – Yalda - the longest night of the year - and Christmas, as deeply-rooted-in-time celebrations, share common, cultural or historical links, which are set to be highlighted during a festival on December 20.

TEHRAN – Bamdej Wetland, located 40 kilometers northwest of Ahvaz, Khuzestan province, has been filled with water after autumn rainfalls, while suffering a significant drop in water level during summer, deputy director of Khuzestan province’s environment department general said.

TEHRAN — There are 120 active faults in Iran and about 78 percent of cities nationwide are located in earthquake prone regions, director of the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) Rescue and Relief Organization, Morteza Salimi, said on Saturday.

TEHRAN – Blockchain technology can help improve the national economy, the head of management development department of the vice presidency for science and technology, Alireza Daliri, IRNA reported on Saturday.

TEHRAN- According to the budget bill proposed for the next fiscal year (starting March 21), 350 trillion rials (about $8.3 billion) will be allocated to the health sector, announced Health Ministry Spokesperson Iraj Harirchi.

TEHRAN – A total budget of 900 billion rials (nearly $22 million) has been requested to develop and equip technical-vocational high schools across the country in the current Iranian calendar year (ending March 20, 2019), Mohsen Hosseini, an official with the Ministry of Education has announced.

TEHRAN – The number of foreign tourists to Qazvin province has significantly increased during the first six months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21-September 22), compared to the same period last year, provincial tourism chief has said.

TEHRAN – Over 20 top Iranian hospitals and clinics are taking part in the 10th Pars tourism exhibition, which opened to the public in Shiraz on Wednesday, aiming to get visitors acquainted with Iran’s potentials in medical and health tourism, Fars reported.

TEHRAN- Iran’s road traffic deaths fell from 32.1 per 100,000 population in 2015 to 20.5 in 2018, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) 2018 global status report on road safety published in December.

TEHRAN — Almost one billion people live in mountain areas, and over half the human population depends on mountains for water, food and clean energy. However, according to the United Nations, mountains are under threat from climate change, land degradation, over exploitation and natural disasters, with potentially far-reaching and devastating consequences, both for mountain communities and the rest of the world.